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Saving Energy As Taxpayers Pay

Updated June 25, 2008 12:01 a.m. ET

I can clearly see how the Prout Funeral Home of Verona, N.J., benefits from the installation of solar panels and recoups its $43,000 investment ("Tackling the Energy Monster: As small firms get socked by higher costs, some are finding creative ways to bring their bills down," The Journal Report on Small Business, June 16). But how and when do the taxpayers and (other) electric rate payers in New Jersey recoup their $100,000 investment? Without a clear accounting of the public benefit from this huge investment, it is nothing more than a taxpayer gift to the funeral home.